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This is the translation of the Hebrew Memorial (Yizkor) Book of Jewish community of Jaslo, Poland: "Toldot Yehudei Yaslo," which was destroyed by the Nazis in September 1939.
The Jas¿o Jewish community developed late because the Polish inhabitants refused to allow Jews to live in the city until the Austrian Imperial administration granted Jews the right to reside in the city in 1860. The Jewish population expanded very rapidly and helped the city grow commercially and financially. Jewish institutions flourished and attracted Jewish residents from nearby hamlets.
All of this ended on September 8, 1939 with the German occupation of Jas¿o. The Germans steadily pauperized the Jewish population. Edicts aimed at the Jews appeared almost daily until the final proclamation that all Jews assemble at the meeting place. In August 1942 most of the Jews were sent to the Belzec death camp where they all perished. Some young Jews were selected to work and sent to various labor camps. Thus, Jewish Jas¿o was destroyed.
Following World War II, a few Jewish survivors returned to the city but soon left. Today there are no Jews in Jas¿o.
This book provides the reader with the rich history of the town, its institutions and people, and the story of its destruction. With the publication of this book, the memory of Jewish community of Jas¿o will continue to live for all the descendants of the town.
Alternate names: Jas¿o [Polish], Yasla [Yiddish], Jaslau [German], Yaslo.
Jaslo is located 174 mi South of Warsaw, at 49° 45' North Latitude and 21° 28' East Longitude.
